


Let Me Take You Home

by dragonbug



Series: 100 Prompts for 100 Followers -- Dragonbug's 100 Followers Celebration [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Parent Talia al Ghul, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne Has Feelings, Damian Wayne Has a Heart, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne is Robin, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Evil Talia al Ghul, F/M, Heavy Angst, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Hurt/Comfort, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Is Not Okay, Protective Damian Wayne, Protective Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, damian just wants marinette back, hinted at - Freeform, marinette's just trying to protect her family, this one hurt a little to make, this was an answer to a prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 02:15:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30115629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonbug/pseuds/dragonbug
Summary: Marinette made a deal with Talia and joined the League of Assassins in order to protect Damian and the rest of the Waynes. Since then, they’ve been searching for her non-stop and they’ve finally caught up to her. Damian’s determined to bring her home, but Marinette doesn’t seem to want to go with him.--Prompt 98: “You should’ve stayed away. Why did you come back we both know I don’t matter.” “You matter to me!”Prompt 100: “Can you honestly say you were thinking of us when you ran away for a whole year?”
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Series: 100 Prompts for 100 Followers -- Dragonbug's 100 Followers Celebration [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2216109
Comments: 9
Kudos: 73





	Let Me Take You Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ur_favorite_queer_queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ur_favorite_queer_queen/gifts).



> Request: "Hey can you combine prompts 98 and 100 with Daminette. Like Marinette or Damian ran away to "protect" the other. Please and thank you!"
> 
> Prompt 98: “You should’ve stayed away. Why did you come back we both know I don’t matter.” “You matter to me!”
> 
> Prompt 100: “Can you honestly say you were thinking of us when you ran away for a whole year?”
> 
> \--
> 
> Starting off with some angst! Hope y’all enjoy :)
> 
> (Also you chose one of the Catradora quotes and adskjgaljskgj)
> 
> \--
> 
> Warnings/Trigger Warnings:  
> \- cursing  
> \- hinting towards emotional/physical abuse (nothing graphic)

Marinette came to an abrupt halt as she turned the corner -- it was a dead end. She hesitated for a moment, breathing heavily, before turning around to face him as he caught up to her. He took her in in silence, his eyes hungrily washing over her as if he were afraid he would never be able to see her again. Which was fair, she supposed. When she left she thought that was the last time she would ever be able to see him. 

“Why did you leave us? Why did you leave _me_?” he asked, breaking the silence.

Marinette looked away, “You know why, Damian.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

She didn’t say anything, instead choosing to shuffle her feet, kicking at a rock near her foot. She played with a loose thread on her sleeve, refusing to meet his eye.

“Answer me, dammit!” Damian exploded, his voice cracking.

Marinette sighed, finally looking up to meet his eye, “I did it to protect you, Damian. To protect all of you!”

He looked hurt, “Can you honestly say you were thinking of us when you ran away for a whole year?”

“Damian, please! Talia didn’t give me a choice. If I didn’t go with her she would have killed all of you. I couldn’t risk that!”

“Did you even try to find another way? You’re Ladybug, Marinette! There’s always another solution. You didn’t even come to us! We could have done something. _Tried_ something! But you didn’t give us a chance!”

Marinette struggled to hold back her tears, “That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t it? You left, Marinette. You left _me._ ”

Shouting could be heard in the distance. The distinct clashing of swords catching up to them, coming ever closer. 

Marinette placed a hand on the sword that hung by her hip, “Talia’s coming.”

“I know.”

“You should go.”

“No,” his voice was hard. There was no room for argument.

“Damian, please.” She sounded exasperated but he could hear the panic that she struggled to hold back.

“What are you so afraid of? Why did you go with her? We could have handled it! We’ve bested her before and we could do it again. We’re part of the Justice League, dammit! I know you’re keeping something from me. Please, tell me so I can help! I just want to help you Marinette.” Damian stepped towards her, reaching out his hand to grab onto her shoulder. 

She flinched, taking a step back from him, “You should’ve stayed away. Why did you come back for me we both know I don’t matter.” For one of the first times in his life, Damian struggled to hold his tears back.

“You matter to me!” He darted forwards, pulling her into a hug, ignoring her half-hearted attempts to escape his grasp. He wasn’t ever letting her go again. Eventually, she stopped struggling and started to sob into his chest, both of them sinking to the ground, ignoring how the damp stone left wet marks on their clothing. He ran a hand over the top of her head in a soothing manner, like he used to when she was upset when they first started dating. 

He placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head, “What have they done to you?” She could barely hear the question over her sobs. She didn’t answer. She didn’t know how. How could she begin to describe what she had been through in the last year? And yet, she doubted it was anything compared to his time in the League when he was younger. 

The sounds of the fight grew closer, echoing through the halls. 

Marinette sat up, pushing Damian away once again, “You should go.” She sounded broken. She sounded defeated - _ashamed_. And she refused to meet Damian’s eye. 

His eyes hardened and he reached forwards, gently placing his hand on her chin and tilting her face to look at him, “Not without you, Bug.”

She smiled, but there was no happiness behind it and there were tears in her eyes, “You have to, Damian. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care. I’m never leaving you again.”

“You don’t understand. Talia --” she looked away, unable to finish her sentence.

“What is she holding over you? I know it’s more than just our lives. I know you trust us to be able to protect ourselves.”

“Not against this.”

“Tell me.”

Marinette swallowed, her throat felt like it was closing up, “She has the box.”

“The box?” he encouraged.

“The miracle box. And she threatened to use the miraculous to kill all of you.”

Damian inhaled sharply. 

“I don’t know how exactly she got her hands on it. I left it in the protection of the Monks. They were hidden by powerful magic, there’s no way she should have been able to find them on her own. One of them must have betrayed the Order. That’s the only explanation. It was a massacre,” it became harder for Marinette to breathe but she pressed on, “The Order’s dead. I’m the last one left. The box is my responsibility and I can’t leave until it’s under my protection again.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as Damian pulled her closer to him and hugged her tighter. 

She looked up at him, “I’ll return home as soon as it’s safe. I promise. I’ll return to you.”

“No.”

Marinette looked startled, “What?”

“I’m not letting you do this alone.”

“Damian, you can’t-”

“I can,” he interrupted, “I’ll carry this burden with you. We do this together. Us against the world remember?”

Her laugh sounded bittersweet as she attempted to wipe her tears away, “As always.”

Damian cupped her face in his hands, running his thumbs under her eyes to wipe away the remainder of her tears before he leaned forwards and gently kissed her.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

“Me too.”

A loud cry rang out and the fighting in the distance grew silent, replaced instead by footsteps growing louder as they neared them. Damian helped Marinette to her feet. A few moments later someone rounded the corner, their swords drawn.

Marinette bowed her head, “Lady Talia.”

Damian snarled and placed his arm protectively in front of Marinette, “Mother.”

Talia laughed as a group of assassins formed a blockade behind her, all of them holding a deadly weapon aimed at them. A few of them held limp vigilantes, pointing their weapons at their necks instead of the duo. Red Hood and Red Robin appeared to be knocked out while Nightwing and Batman looked like they were struggling to keep their eyes open, the latter heavily bleeding from his head. 

“Let them go, Mother.”

Talia tilted her head and smiled but there was no warmth behind her eyes, “Now why would I do that?”

Marinette lowered Damian’s arm and took a few steps towards the woman, “Lady Talia, please. I’ll do anything. Just let them go.”

Talia threw her head back and laughed, “Anything? What do you have to offer that I don’t already have? Your mine to control, Marinette. You have nothing left to give.”

Before Marinette could respond Damian stepped in front of her once more and faced his mother, “I’ll rejoin the League. Just let them go and let me stay by Marinette's side.”

Marinette tightened her hold on Damian but Batman was the one who spoke up, “Damian, no. We can get both of you-” He was cut off by a blow dealt by the man holding him. 

Talia considered the offer, her grin widening, “I accept.”

Nightwing’s eye’s widened, “No.” His voice was a whisper and Marinette only knew what he said because of her uncanny ability to lip read. She didn’t say anything.

Talia pulled them both into an uncomfortable hug before pulling away, “Oh this is just perfect. We can be a family! Mother, son, and future daughter-in-law. One day, when you ascend to the throne, we will rule the League of Assasins together!” she cackled evilly before turning around to the group of assassins behind her, “Take the others outside and put them on a plane to Gotham. You two,” she pointed at the duo, “follow me.” She turned on her heel and began to walk away while the rest of the assains scrambled to follow her orders. 

Marinette reached down to grab Damian's hand, “I’m sorry you have to do this.”

“I’m not. I would do anything for you Marinette. I’m just glad I finally found you.”

Marinette’s eyes softened and she opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted, “Hurry up you two! We don’t have all day.”

Damian squeezed her hand, “I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

Marinette smiled, and for the first time in a long time she felt hope well up in her chest, “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to make a request or see the entire prompt list please check here:https://thedragonbug.tumblr.com/post/645963251007586304/100-prompts-for-100-followers
> 
> And thanks so much for 100 followers on tumblr!


End file.
